"Entire cities in the World of Warcraft have been destroyed with no one spared, not even the NPCs. About 13:00 GMT, forums on WOW started getting the first comments from users regarding players and NPCs dying on the Ragnaros-EU realm in Orgrimmar. Users of the online game started reporting that Draenor had a similar sight to offer. Some of the other realms where this was reported include Tarren Mill, and Twisting Nether."

Also at Joystiq, and (with more screenshots) at WCCF Tech, which reports that "it appears the damage is most severe in World of Warcraft European servers."

Snicker, too. WOW at about $15+ a month plus paying for the software. Runescape for about $6 a month...it’s kind of like Netflix- handy for a little bit of cheap entertainment in the evening. What’s 12x$15 plus the software and expansion packs...? Fools.

part of me can understand it, but they aren’t much help to anyone in the real world they could actually help and make a real difference to. plus it’s not like they’re learning anything that can help them - no skills or new abilities or anythjing. it’s a pretty self-centered, pity move if that’s what their mindset is.

I don’t deny that. But what I am saying is that most people are not like many here on FR...willing to not sit impotently by and say/do nothing.

Most of America and the rest of the planet has had the fight beat out of them by a non-stop barrage of PC BS and across-the-board liberalism.

Faced with a non stop assault of people thrown in jail/sued for spanking their kids/the gay agenda shoved down their throats/gas at $5 a gallon to save the endangered snarfblat/the Constitution ignored by Repub and Dem alike...
(add any of a million MORE things here)...

It is not hard to imagine Joe Average saying “You know what? We lost. Our own party doesn’t do shit. It gets worse every day and nothing I do matters.”

It is indeed self pitying, but it is at least based on something real. In their virtual world, they are with people they like, doing things they enjoy. The way the ‘real’ world used to be. At least to a point. They aren’t used, lied to, crapped on and treated like brainless idiots by their leaders/next door neighbors.

No, it most definitely sucks. But I can wholly understand it. And that should be a wake-up call to EVERYONE. When the real world has gotten so F’d up that it now drives ‘normal’ people into virtual fantasies to escape it, perhaps it’s time to do something ‘real’ about it. And fix this mess. Whether at the voting booth, the local school board or the neighborhood. There are after all, still more of ‘us’ than of ‘them’. and we can effect ‘change’ if we really want to.

(And no, I’m not advocating violence for any lib looking for an excuse to point to.)

“It is not hard to imagine Joe Average saying You know what? We lost. Our own party doesnt do shit. It gets worse every day and nothing I do matters.

It is indeed self pitying, but it is at least based on something real. In their virtual world, they are with people they like, doing things they enjoy. The way the real world used to be. At least to a point. They arent used, lied to, crapped on and treated like brainless idiots by their leaders/next door neighbors.”

Excellent. Regardless of what one thinks of Ron Paul, he was winning the delegates in NV in 2008. The RNC shut down the caucus and made a secrete meeting at a secret time and place. How can one have faith in a system like that? I’m fairly regularly contacting my Representatives. It’s pretty much “blah, blah, I don’t care and my lobster is getting cold.” We try to vote good people into office, then find out they’re abject liars, or Mr. Wimpy pants that cries and is impotent. It’s not very encouraging for the future of our nation. I can’t blame someone for wanting to escape for a few hours in a game where they have a sense of some power.

Yes and you know something else? Everyone in WoW or any other Role Playing Game online/offline/console/whatever not only feels control over their destiny, they are also sure that they are all playing by ONE SET OF RULES. Even if that set of rules happens to take place in a medieval fantasy or spaceborne whatever And if you excel at whatever it is you are doing in the game in question, you will likely profit from your ‘labor’.

Gee... I almost think there might be a connection ther to something I cannot quite put a finger on....

My BiL is a “white-hat” hacker and attends conventions, including gaming ones. The games are designed to be addictive.

These games, pretty much ALL computer games are designed as “Skinner boxes” which reward the players based on variable input - sort of like a rat hitting a lever. The payout has to be variable - if it becomes predictable, or is too low, the rat, er, player will eventually lose interest.

As are most games with varying degrees of attraction. I don't blame the game for his heart attack, he wasn't paying attention to his health. My friend had other things going on, involved in various organizations and charitable to others. He also chatted with other gamers world-wide through the game as an admin, dispensing help to others. However, he did play a lot at all hours of day and night.

I feel the addiction was the opportunity to play-act as other characters that he could not achieve in real life. In a game, you can have the looks and powers that you weren't given in real life. This is not necessarily a bad thing, and possibly brings fulfillment and happiness to many. The risk is getting so deep into the fictional characters that one neglects their external health and obligations. My friend was neglecting bills and getting into financial problems, this is something I feel was indirectly caused by the game.

with respect, he allowed the game to become the excuse to neglect his bills and other things in the real world. because he did that, the real world for him began to become worse and worse, and he spent more time in WoW. vicious circle. but one he created and fostered, sadly.

I agree. Was working on that idea with my BiL. General theory was that could be a time-out - no more than 8 hours on line at time. Problem would be the loss of revenue, multiple accounts, etc.

Another method would be to start toning down the rewards after x number of hours, until, after a while there no rewards at all. After a decent interval off-line, the account resets and rewards start again. That doesn’t handle multiple accounts, though.

Problem is, forcing such an implementation would violate my belief that government should intervene as little as possible. Parents should supervise kids (Our kids like “Minecraft” whatever the heck that is) and limit their time and access. Adults are on their own...

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